Dr. John Greene1,2

M, b. circa 1590, d. before 7 January 1659
FatherRichard Greene b. c 1556, d. 1617
MotherMary Hooker b. c 1568, d. 1617
     Important Notes: . . . "John Greene, surgeon, used upon an official letter to England at an early date (1692) a seal with the arms of the Greenes of Boughton and Greene's Norton, Northamptonshire, the same arms being recorded in the Herald's College, (Soberby), as borne by Robert Greene of Gillingham, Dorsetshire, England, who was the great-grandfather of John Greene, surgeon, and from whom the records are unbroken. . . . The letter alluded to was of no special importance save for its seal. It was addressed to Sir Robert Southwell, Knight, one of the Secrtetaries of State to their Majesties' Privy Council, at Whitehall, London, bearing the date December 21, 1692. It was sealed with red wax, having the impression of the Greene arms. . .3 " John was born circa 1590 in Gillingham Parish, Dorchestershire, England, at the family estate at Bowridge Hall.4 He moved to Sarum, Wiltshire where he had found work. John married Joanna Tattershall on 4 November 1619 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, at the church of St. Thomas.5 On 6 April 1635, John & his wife, Joanna,left from Hampton aboard the ship, "James", mastered by William Cooper, bound for New England. Listed among the passengers were John Greene, his wife & six chilldren. After a voyage of fifty-eight days, they arrived at Boston the 3rd of June..6 The family settled at Salem where John built a home for them and where he became associated with Roger Williams. However, when Williams was forced to take flight to Rhode Island in 1636, John sold his house and went to Rhode Island settling in Providence and was then assigned a home lot there by Mr. Williams. There in Rhode Island, he was a respected surgeon, so much so, that many of the inhabitants of Providence went to him even after he had moved to Warwick, which move was done in 1642.6 John's wife, Joanna, died in 1642 in Conimicut, Kent County, Rhode Island, leaving him a widower. John married 2nd Ailsce (?) in 1643 in Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island.6 In October of 1643, Boston officials sent 40 men on horses to Rhode Island to arrest the people in the new settlement. On their arrival, they fired round of shots over the houses. The women and children were frightened and fled into the woods to hide. Many of them parished there from exposure and fright.6 John's wife, Ailsce, died circa October 1643 in Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island, leaving him a widower. She was one of the women who fled from the attach and did not survive; , after having fled from the attachers from Boston. Shortly after the death of his wife Ailsce, John went to London. It is not known why he made the move; only that he was there until sometime in 1646.7 John married 3rd Phillippa (?) in 1646 in London, county Middlesex, England. Soon after the marriage the couple returned to Rhode Island and to the settlement at Warwick.8 John made his will on 28 December 1658 at Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island.

In it he gave to his "beloved wife Philipa Greene yt part of buildinge, being all new erected and containing A large hall and Chimni with a little chamber joining to the hall as also a large chamber with a little chamber within yt, with a large garret with a Little daffy room which buttes against ye oule house, to enioy deuring her life; allso I give unto her half ye orchard; allso I give unto her my Lott adjoining to ye orchard together with ye swamp which the Towne granted me." After some other bequests to his wife, he gave to his son John the neck of land called Occupasnetuxet, with an adjoining meadow and a small island, all of which he says he bought of Miantonomi. To his other children he bequeathed other tracts of land including his portion of the Warwick purchase, and appointed his wife sole executrix of the will. Witnessed by John Wickes and Anthony Low.

John departed this life in Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island. He was buried at Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island, in Spring Greene Cemetery.9,10 His will was probated on 7 January 1659.

Family 1

Joanna Tattershall b. 1597, d. 1642
Children

Family 2

Ailsce (?) b. c 1599, d. c Oct 1643

Family 3

Phillippa (?) b. c 1600, d. 11 Mar 1687

Citations

  1. [S397] Oliver P. Fuller, The History of Warwick, Rhode Island, page 30-33 - John Greene, the founder of the family in this country, came from. Salisbury, in England, 'but at what precise date is unknown. He was the son of Peter Greene, and was born February 9. 1596-7. By profession he was a surgeon. He first settled in Massachusetts; but subsequently removed to Providence, where his name appears as fifth in Roger Williams' first deed. His wife. five sons and one daughter accompanied him. He afterwards returned to Boston, where he soon became involved in some difficulty with the magistrates, as. was the case with nearly all the original settlers of Rhode Island. Having been examined before the court he was fined £20, and banished from the state. Upon his submission," his fine was remitted, but he returned to Providence, where "he retracted his submission by letter and charged the magistrates with usurping the power of Christ in his church, and with persecution toward Williams." From this circumstance we infer that the trouble was of a religious nature.
    John Greene seems to have preferred a residence in a state where there were no witches to be hung, and where the utmost liberty was allowed in religious matters, and here he took up his permanent abode and became one of the leading men- in the colony. In 1644, on the submission of the Narragansett Indians, he went to England with Gorton and Holden, as agents to look after the interests of both the Indians and his own towns-men. In 1647 he was appointed one of the committee of ten to organize the Colonial Government under the Parliamentary charter. He was appointed several times a General Assistant. He lived and died at Occupasnetuxet, now known as Spring Green, or the Gov. Francis estate.
    John Greene had three wives ; the first, Joane Tatersalle, whom he married Nov. 4,1619; the second, Alse Daniels, of Providence; and the third, Phillip of London. He died between Dec. 28, 1658, and Jan. 7, 1659. He had six children, who were baptized as per register of 5t. Thomas Church, Salisbury, Eng., as follows: John, Aug. 15, 1620; Peter, March 10, 1621-2; James; June 21, 1626; Thomas, June 4, 1628; Joane, Oct. 3, 1630; Mary. May 19, 1633. Abstract of his will.
  2. [S885] Richard Bayles, History of Providence, Rhode Island,, page __ - John Greene of Kingston who about 1639 came to Narragansett and lived there with Richard Smith, the first white settler of that locality.
  3. [S1359] The Greenes of Rhode Island, with historical records of English ancestry, 1534-1902, pages 49..
  4. [S1359] The Greenes of Rhode Island, with historical records of English ancestry, 1534-1902, page 39
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  5. [S1359] The Greenes of Rhode Island, with historical records of English ancestry, 1534-1902, page 54.
  6. [S1359] The Greenes of Rhode Island, with historical records of English ancestry, 1534-1902, page 55.
  7. [S1359] The Greenes of Rhode Island, with historical records of English ancestry, 1534-1902, page 56.
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  8. [S1359] The Greenes of Rhode Island, with historical records of English ancestry, 1534-1902, page 56.
  9. [S1359] The Greenes of Rhode Island, with historical records of English ancestry, 1534-1902, page 55
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  10. [S2291] Rhode Island: Historical Cemeteries, 1647-2000: Volume Warwick, page 380887.